Signboard



Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.'

ALBERT L. JUHL AND RUFUS R. DARDEN, OF ILES, CALIFORNIA..

SIGNBOARD.

Application led July 30,

T all whom zz may concern.'

Be it known that we, ALBERT L. JUHL and RUrUs R. DARDEN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Niles, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Signboards, of which the following is a specification.

@ur invention relates particularly to a display sign board structure adapted to be erected where air currents may play upon it.

It is one object of our invention to pro` vide a structure of the character indicated wherein an element is rotated by the action of air currents, the said element being so designed as to present a plurality of relatively large surfaces suitable for display advertising matter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the character indicated wherein the display advertising surfaces on said element are soar langed as to permit the letters of a word or a group of words to be arranged thereon in their proper sequence about the perimeter of the element and readable as a whole by one complete revolution of the element.

lt is a still further object of the invention to provide a device of the character indicated wherein certain lixed display board surfaces are arranged contiguous to said revoluble element. and used in conjunction with the operation thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved sign board.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 indicates a base member fitted with ball bearings 2 and supporting vertically positioned revoluble shaft 3.

@n shaft 3 is positioned a frainewora comprising top and bottom members 4 and 5 carrying an enclosing drumlike shell 6. The shell G in the present case is formed with six distinct sides, each side having parallel lines running longitudinally thereof and describing a reverse curve in transverse cross section. The joining of the several sides forms a number of pockets 7 facing in the same direction whereby a current of air filling the pockets presented to it will cause the shell to revolve, and the successive presentation of the several pockets to the 1923. Serial No. 654,610.

air current secures the continuous rotation of the shell.

The upper end of shaft 3 is supported in a socket S in the lower edge of a sign board 9, the board 9 extending across the top of t-he shell 6 and thence forwardly and angularly therefrom as at 10 and 1l and thence downwardly to a point adjacent to the ground as at l2 and 13, the portions 12 and 13 extending therefrom to the ground, the board l1 being carried close up to shell 6, and the board 13 being spaced a distance therefrom as at let.

A current of air blowing from the front will be directed to the shell G by the flaring boards 12 and 13. The air will readily escape through opening la at one side of the shell and thereby relieve the pressure at that side, the pressure on that side being still further relieved by the curved formation of the shell. On the other side, however', thc air currents will lill the pockets 7 in shell 3 keeping it in more or less rapid motion as the wind pressure varies.

lf, now, a trade-mark such as Zerole is printed on the shell with one letter appearing on each side thereof, the revolving shell will bring the successive letters into view and enable an observer to read the word as a whole. This arrangement obviates the necessity of printing the whole sign on one surface and rendering it visible as a whole. thereby attracting attention and lending interest to the sign. The foregoing is, of course, only suggestive of the many ways in which the revolving sign may be used, either alone or in conjunction with liXed signs arranged thereby.

It is obvious that the shell may be inade in an almost infinite variety of shapes and sizes and yet be essentially the same invention as disclosed herein; that is a shell revoluble by wind pressure and adapted to carry advertising matter on its outer surface.

It is to be understood, therefore, that while we have herein disclosed one specific embodiment of our invention, changes in form, construction and method of operation may be made within the scope of the appended claim.

le claim:

A device of the character indicated comprising a support and a shell revolubly mounted thereon, said shell having its sur- Vsaid Shell on one side and spaced a dis-` faee formed to present a pluralityl of Wind tance therefrom on the other side whereby engaging pockets extending longitudinally to vary theair pressure 0n opposite sides l0 thereof and 'facing uniformly in one direcof said shell.

Vtion, said shell being provided With surfaces adapted to carry advertising indicia RUFUS R. DARDEN.

and sign boards arranged Contiguous t0 f ALBERT L. JUHL. 

